A family getaway or a couples retreat

Two ways to enjoy Vernon in the winter.

By Prestige Adventures

January 31^st, 2019

At this point in the winter season, I’m often headed south along with thousands of other Canadian “snowbirds" opting to stay for a couple of weeks in Palm Springs, California - but not this time.

This year, I’ve decided to hang around and brave the cold, snow and sometimes dull, cloudy days that we get in the Okanagan Valley. While it’s been a fairly mild winter (thankfully) to date, I did feel the need to “get away from it all” for at least a short break and take a staycation, unwinding just outside my own four walls.

Dictionary result for staycation /ˌstāˈkāSHn/ noun informal noun: staycation; plural noun: staycations; noun: stay-cation; plural noun: stay-cationsa vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.

Staycations have gained in popularity these past few years. Whether you don't want to go further away for your vacation due to cost, a demanding schedule or you just want to avoid the stress of traveling, staying home and taking a break from your regular routine is a great way to spend time this winter.

My destination, the Prestige Vernon Lodge, lay only a half-hour from my doorstep in Kelowna. It was chosen for its fantastic tropical atrium, dog friendly attitude and the hotel's proximity to a top notch ski hill just down the road.

I scheduled a stop at a world-class wine destination, 50th Parallel Estate Winery, along the way, as a treat for my wife before checking in to the hotel.

50th Parallel Estate Winery tasting room entrance.

Meet Me at the 50th

Pulling up into the parking lot I can see why 50th Parallel was recently recognized with two design awards from the Thompson Okanagan Kootenay Commercial Design Awards with a Judges Choice award and Best Overall Entry. With its eye-caching cantilvered roof, modern design and incredible location tucked into the base of a hill, this winery is worth a visit, even if you happen to be the designated driver.

While I was enjoying the guided tour with our enthusiastic tour director Travis, my wife enjoyed sampling their latest, and picked out a bottle for us both to enjoy once we were relaxing at the hotel.

50th Parallel is known for their multi-award winning Pinot Noir, but they also have an extensive portfolio of amazing wines.

Block One Restaurant, recently opened in spring 2018, touted as celebrating regional/seasonal cuisine with their menu was closed for a few weeks vacation when we visited, but we were granted a sneak peek into the beautiful space. Of special note were tables handcrafted from the wine barrels that had previously held that precious Pinot Noir and were now recycled into one-of-a-kind tables by a local craftsman.

THE IDEAL PLACE TO STAY AND PLAY

I decided to invite some friends and their children for a 2-day 'holiday at home'. We'd been meaning to get together with them for some time, so a quick getaway to a central place like Vernon seemed to be an ideal scenario for all. They could enjoy family fun time with the kids, while the adults reconnected as well.

Any successful trip, even a short break away from the norm, requires a little thought and planning. I didn't want to go overboard, but with kids involved, I knew I wanted to keep them fed, watered and entertained.

The hotel has a large tropical atrium area with a pool, hot tub and restaurant connected by a pathway through trees all lit up with tiny white lights. A small creek runs through the atrium, adding a nice calming touch and the feeling of escape from the cold winter weather outside the front door.

At the Prestige Vernon Lodge, there is a sports bar, Don Cherry's Sports Grill which is the perfect spot to grab wings, pizza and burgers while watching a game on one of their many large screen TV's. While minors can't go to Don Cherry's, it does share some of its menu items to guests of The Lodge Kitchen and Bar in the atrium, which is family friendly. While waiting for some wings, I watched a couple go head to head in a pool shootout, but the main attraction was Brady's late game comeback taking his team to another Super Bowl.

While we were watching the kids swim and play in the warm pool area, another group of tweens were enjoying the water and playing around, which just added to the overall fun factor.

After tiring out the kids in the pool, we all headed back to our friends' Family Suite, and used the microwave to pop the popcorn and get them settled in for a movie night in the room. While the kids enjoyed the show, us adults got to catch up and visit in the next room.

Tomorrow would be a busy day. Leaving our family friends to explore Vernon on their own, my wife and I were slated to head up the mountain, just minutes from the hotel, to one of the best skiing destinations in the province.

a favourite family SKI HILL

The weatherman had called for sunshine, but it was an overcast day as we packed the car with skis and winter gear. Undaunted, we headed up the mountain toward SilverStar Mountain Resort. About half-way up the hill, we broke out of the fog and were rewarded with a spectacular view of the valley down below and bright sunshine and blue skies surrounding us.

An hour drive from Kelowna International Airport and a short 25 minute drive from Vernon, SilverStar Mountain Resort has 3,282 acres of skiable terrain and 131 runs. It's a haven for skiers and boarders looking for a big mountain experience away from huge lineups.

From its beginnings as a local ski hill back in 1958, SilverStar Mountain Resort has evolved into a world class winter holiday destination. Renowned for amazing, light dry snow and crowned as one of Canada's favorite family resorts, guests visiting from around the world continue to experience the charm of its colorful mid-mountain village. In fact, the village architecture splashed with vibrant colors is one of the first things you will notice and remember about SilverStar.

Themed after an early 1900's mining town, the bars, restaurants and shops that line the charming main street is where you will find long-time residents and local characters that help give SilverStar its safe, “homey”, community feel.

Dog walkers shared the trail with cross-country skiiers and fat bikers.

SiverStar is a favourite training facility for international teams.

If you're not into skiing, there's the hockey/skating rink and a tubing area.

breathtaking views

After spending a few hours on the downhill slopes we unbuckled our skis and headed for a walk along the cross-country trails. The guidebook I picked up told me that skiers here have unlimited access to 55km of groomed, world-class Nordic trails. As well, there is a magical 16 km network of dedicated snowshoe trails through forests of giant Christmas trees.

From dog walkers, to fat bikes, to competitive teams training and some who looked like they had just strapped on the skis for the first time, we saw it all as we hiked the hill, stopping frequently to gaze out at the bright sun reflecting off the pure white snow.

After a long day exploring the mountain, we were ready to head back to the Prestige Vernon Lodge and soak in the hot tub, relax in our newly-renovated guestroom, and finally enjoy that beautiful bottle of wine we'd picked up the day before.

a little planning, a lot of fun

Here's a few ideas that help pull off a great staycation.

Act like a tourist in your own home town. What sights, scenes and activities would you recommend for any visiting family or friends? Try those out with the eyes and attitude of a tourist.
Turn off your phone and leave emails as if you were actually away at a destination resort.
Plan your activities ahead of time if you want to do certain things.
Choose the right place for everyone to enjoy. Kids love pools and the 1000's of tropical plants in the Prestige Vernon Lodge make it feel like you're swimming in the jungle. And if you get an atrium-facing guestroom, mom or dad can watch the action from their private balcony nearby.

All in all, we felt as if we had gone away for a week or so to some magical place. In a way we did re-discover what tourists are telling me all the time - 'you live in God's country.' Sometimes you just have to take a break from the office, make a short drive down the road and remember what brought you to live in the Okanagan in the first place.